Enjoy an ANZAC Day beer or two for a good cause

Sydneysiders can enjoy a quiet - or not so quiet - beer or two on ANZAC Day and help raise money for a charity for the families of veterans at the same time.

A dozen Solotel pubs across the city will be offering 2UP and Karma Kegs will be pouring across all venues, with $1 from every pint or schooner donated to Legacy to support the families of Australian former military personnel.

ANZAC Day will see venues including The Clock, The Sackville and The Woodstock hosting 2UP from midday on April 25, with DJs and afterparties keeping the energy going into the evening.

Among the Solotel venues marking the day are The Clock in Surry Hills (top image), which will be taking over Collins Street to host the biggest 2UP ring in Surry Hills, as well as serving drinks from its street bar and firing up the barbecue.

Out west, the Albion Hotel in Parramatta promises the biggest outdoor 2UP arena in the area along with live entertainment and all-day barbecue and an after party.

In Rozelle, in the inner west, The Sackville's car park will see 2UP action kick off at midday, with an ANZAC Day menu, bars, live music and DJs.

Other Solotel spots to spend ANZAC Day around the city include: Bridgeview Hotel, Darlo Bar, Kings Cross Hotel, The Marly and The Regent.

See the full list of venues at https://solotel.com.au/  

City of Sydney aims to boost nightlife precincts

The City of Sydney has unveiled plans to boost nightlife, saying 5000 businesses across more than 20 special entertainment precincts are set to benefit.

Venues within the precincts will be able to trade later and gain access to NSW Government benefits, including liquor licence fee discounts and extended licensing hours.

“This will be the largest overhaul of late-night trading of its kind in Australia,” Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said.

“Our community has resoundingly voiced its support for our plans so far, highlighting the fact that we want to see a nightlife that reflects our status as a global city.

“The community has also asked us to allow some areas to trade even later and we’ve listened.”

The proposals seek to expand some of the City of Sydney’s existing late-night precincts and add new ones. Hopefully, security will also be addressed.

Special entertainment precincts would now include:

*a new area along Harris Street in Ultimo, including the Powerhouse Museum
* expanded precincts along Meagher Street and Shepherd Street in Chippendale
* an expanded Oxford Street precinct, covering The National Art School and Qtopia.

“In response to community feedback we have expanded special entertainment precinct status to some new areas," Moore said. "We have heard the concerns of residents in some of those areas and we will continue to work with them as well as businesses, workers and visitors through this next phase to ensure we get the balance right.” 

The following areas would be upgraded to a later ‘tier’, unlocking later hours for businesses:

* Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Wharves 3 and 4
* several streets around the Mercantile Hotel in The Rocks
* part of Oxford Street to the east of Taylor Square
* Regent Street, Botany Road and parts of Redfern Street
* The Hollywood Quarter around Campbell, Foster and Commonwealth streets in Surry Hills.

“It’s clear our communities are invested in these proposals but it’s a very technical process, so by consulting them every step of the way we’re ensuring they understand and support us at each stage of this journey,” Moore said.

The changes are part of a broader suite of proposals to recognise established and understood late-night trading areas with special entertainment precinct status.

“We all want a nightlife we can be proud of, and that our global city deserves,” Moore added.

Image: City of Sydney, Ed Hurst

Are you being dudded by your local pub?

Do you ever think that your local pub might be short-serving you when you order a glass of wine, or a shot of whisky?

Judging by a recent survey in England you might well have reason for concern.

More than half of alcoholic drinks served in Oxfordshire pubs were found to be undermeasured in a recent undercover operation by the Trading Standards Authority.

Despite mounting pressures on the hospitality industry, officials say customers are still being short-changed at many bars in the UK, the drinks business reported

The undercover operation, which assessed pubs and bars across the county set out to check whether alcoholic drinks were being served in legally required quantities.

More than half were found to be under the limit. Bbeer was discovered to be the alcoholic drink that was never underpoured by staff, perhaps because glasses are designed to be filled.

The news hits as hospitality businesses have navigated the year’s headwinds amid rising costs and nearly four in five of hospitality small business owners are feeling the effects of burnout.

Added to this, rising tax and business rate costs in the UK could force more than 70% of hospitality businesses to cut jobs, scale back investment, or reduce trading hours.

Despite these challenges, Trading Standards officers have still been cracking down and keeping a keen eye on drinks that don’t measure up.

The officials posed as members of the public and ordered alcoholic drinks at various establishments to check whether each was being served in the legally-required measures.

Of the drinks ordered, it was found that 12 out of 16 glasses of wine, or 75% of all drinks, were short pours. As well, one out of two shots of whisky were being served under the legal or advertised measure.

Image: Kapij Telwani, Scop.io

Your last-minute festive gift guide for gourmets and drinkers

Got friends who love their food and drink? Here are some last-minute festive gift ideas put together by the GOTR team.

Wine lovers will enjoy experimenting with new high-tech glasses from Melbourne-based Denver & Liely that retail for $200 each.

The hand-blown crystal glasses went through eight years of R&D before being released last month and are designed to aerate the wine in a similar fashion to decanting.

The glasses are beautiful-looking and certainly help soften out the tannins in big, young reds.

Designer Denver Cramer found inspiration for the shape in commercial jet engines, with a multi-directional turbine ‘hub’, designed to rapidly aerate the wine.

The universal design suits pinot noir and chardonnay best, but also works with red blends.

Hand-blown and hand polished, the glasses are fun and impressive. See https://denverandliely.com/

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As soon as the GoTR team saw the AdHoc PEPE Chili Cutter they wanted one.

Specially designed to cut dried chilis, the stainless steel and acrylic design makes for a beautiful addition to kitchens with its eye-catching design.

AdHoc was named as best kitchen brand of the year for 2024-2025 in the PLUS X awards and this looks the goods; combining design and functionality.

German-designed AdHoc products are well thought out with their straightforward elegance. 

This costs $39.95 and is perfect for when you want to add just the right amount of chilli to your past or pizza.  See https://sheldonandhammond.com.au

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Vodka is the perfect summer tipple. It can be enjoyed with just about any mixer and loves to get up close and personal with ice cubes.

STOLI Premium Vodka is a smooth and iconic spirit that's perfect for festive cocktails. Distilled three times from top-quality grain and filtered through birch charcoal and quartz sands, it's blended with pure artesian well water for a clean, crisp taste.

Whether it's mixed into a classic martini or enjoyed over ice, STOLI is a long-time favourite and very stylish.

STOLI Premium Vodka is available via Dan Murphy’s, alongside other flavours such as Cucumber, Vanilla and Salted Karamel. $58.99.

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Travellers and beer lovers will enjoy the new edition of the coffee table book Australia’s Historic Pubs.

It tells the stories behind 52 of the most loved heritage pubs across Australia. Illustrated with lovely colour images, it reveals their varied histories and also uncovers many colourful characters through the centuries.

Readers can discover how immigrants carved out their destinies amidst the greed and ambition of the gold rushes, while convicts carved the building blocks.

From the bustling streets of Hobart to the serene banks of the Swan and Brisbane Rivers, this book takes you on a journey to visit some of the most venerable watering holes in Australia.

Australia's Historic Pubs  costs $49.99 and is available at good book shops, or through
http://woodslanepress.com.au.

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Henschke is one of Australia’s most revered family wine producers and has released a range of special gift packs.

Check out the Plumm Glassware Gift Packs: special edition offerings that contain two Henschke-branded Plumm crystal wine glasses and a bottle of wine. 

Each glass is machine blown from 100% lead-free European crystal, using the pulled stem method for increased durability. Each pack contains the two glasses and a Henschke wine of your choice. 

The glasses cost $55 a pair and the cost of your chosen wine will be added at checkout. See https://www.henschke.com.au/products/plumm-glassware-gift-pack-choose-your-own-wine.

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Angel's Envy  a super-premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon, has just landed in Australia, and at under $100, it is an ideal treat for whiskey enthusiast dads.  

Angel's Envy was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2011 by industry icon and Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson and his son Wes Henderson.

Unlike other bourbons, Angel’s Envy undergoes an additional maturation process, with its Kentucky Straight bourbon finished in port wine barrels to adds an additional layer of complexity and flavour. 

Angel's Envy costs $99.99 and is available at independent retailers nationwide.

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Got a thirsty friend who enjoys trying different beers? The Casella family, the people behind [yellow tail] wines, also have their own brewery in the small town of Yenda In the Riverina.

Their range includes very quaffable Yenda Pale Ale ($17 for a six pack) and the light, clear Yenda Session Lager available in 330ml six-pack bottles (RRP $7.50).

Out of the same brewery is the laid-back, easy drinking Poets Lager ($16 for a six-pack). Available at Cellarbrations, Bottle-O, IGA Liquor and Porters.

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Mason Cash has been producing mixing bowls for centuries but recently released the new Home to Roost range, featuring beautifully delicate embossments and a cheery colours.

The Home to Roost range includes mixing bowls in three sizes, the batter bowl, prep bowls, storage jars and a utensil pot.

Made from earthenware, the bowls are light enough to hold in one arm while mixing, but sturdy enough when using on the countertop.

This is the Mother Hen nest bowl ($110) from https://masoncash.com.au/products/collections/home-to-roost/.

Top Image: Aleksei Popoc, Scop.io   

Geelong on the move with new eateries and pubs

 

There is a lot of excitement in Geelong, where the city has recently welcomed several new restaurants, pubs and hotels.

Already regarded as one of Victoria's top food and wine destinations, Geelong is very much on the move, the folk from Visit Geelong and Bellarine say.

Celebrity chefs Adrian Richardson and Michael Demagistris are among those to have started new ventures by Corio Bay.

Two Noble (above) is a new fine dining destination fusing south-east Asian and modern Australian flavours.

It is located on the top floor of a 173-year-old Geelong pub - the Sawyers Arms Tavern - recently purchased by publican Paul Upham, who previously incorporated Movida and Coda into The Lorne Hotel before selling in 2021. See twonoble.com.au

Outside of town, Tarra Restaurant has opened at Queensclliff inside the ferry terminal. Tarra is a contemporary coastal dining experience with bay views and acclaimed chef Michael Demagistris at the helm. See tarra.com.au

Maestro is operated by celebrity chef Adrian Richardson, host of Channel Ten series Good Chef Bad Chef. He also has La Luna Bistro and Bouvier Bar and Grill in his suite of restaurants. At Maestro he's working alongside executive chef Migo Razon. maestrogeelong.com.au

The Novotel has also opened a new restaurant at its Geelong waterfront location: Tempo Kitchen & Bar offers seafood and grill dishes with globally travelled chef Erwin Joven (ex the Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide) in charge of the kitchen. tempogeelong.com.au

Barwon Edge Restaurant offers Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant on the edge of the Barwon River operated by the owners of Geelong dining institutions Alma and Felix. barwonedge.com.au

Eureka Hotel, meanwhile, is a classic pub that has bee refurbed and is one of Geelong's most popular venues for live music and big acts.

Honouring heritage is a bit of a trend with another pub in Geelong West having restored and returned to its original name: The Queen of the West.

Mt Pleasant Road Brewers, meanwhile, has a new taproom in Belmont with 10 taps pouring locally brewed beer.

Two new hotels have opened in the heart of Geelong within walking distance of main attractions such as the waterfront and the Little Malop Street cultural and dining precinct: Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong and Quest Central Geelong.

Newcastle to gain a hip new venue

Newcastle's transformation continues with the imminent reopening of the Lucky Hotel in the city's East End.

Not only does the hotel have a new fit-out, it will also have Gordon Ramsay-trained chef Stephen Scott manning the pans.

The Lucky Hotel, once known as The Oxford, is now operated by Sydney pub group Tilley and Wills, who also runs the Greenwood in North Sydney, The Buena in Mosman, the Paddington Arts Factory, Richmond Inn and Cabana Bar.

The launch party will be held on September 8 and the big reveal is embargoed until then, but I did manage to source one image (above).

Exposed bricks will pay homage to the Lucky's past - the hotel dates back to 1880 - while new concrete structures will lead to what is promised to be "one of the best beer gardens in the country" with a three-storey atrium and living green wall.

The revitalisation has been curated by interior designer Sandy Grice, who has worked for Merivale, QT and Pullman Resorts.

“We wanted our guests - whether repeat visitors or new - to feel familiar with the venue but also provide a lot of surprises," says general manager Drew Parsons.

"We took a lot of influence from photographer Slim Aarons to the Racquet Club from 1930’s Palm Springs. There is something new behind every door, a lot to look at and a lot of fun."

Acquired by Sydney businessman Martin Scott in early 2022, The Lucky will have a gourmet focus.

“We seek out the best pubs in great locations and basically do a number on them," says Tilley & Wills CEO Nick Wills.

"We add our touch which means great food, excellent drinks lists, and hire the best people in the business. This site gave us the perfect foray into creating Sydney-style pub hospitality in regional NSW’s largest city.”

Chef Scott spent several years in London working under Gordon Ramsay where he started as sous chef at The Warrington in Maida Vale, progressing through the ranks to Claridge’s then into Maze Grill in Mayfair.

Scott returned to Australia in 2016 to head up Matt Kemp’s new kitchen at the Charring Cross Hotel before moving across to the Matt Moran stable as head chef at The Paddington Inn.

“I was attracted by the vision of the team and new owners wanting to move beyond standard pub grub and offer something more akin to our contemporary capital city and international gastro-pubs," he says.

"We have some of the best produce in the country on our doorstep and we intend on showcasing it."

Wills adds: “It seems like in the blink of an eye this part of the city of Newcastle has just been totally transformed, it’s bustling with cool restaurants, bars, cafes, delis, hip hotels." 

The accommodation comprises 30 guest suites with courtyard or city views, all with updated en-suite bathrooms.

The hotel will be open seven days a week with the kitchen and garden courtyard open for lunch and dinner.

See theluckyhotel.com.au

Image: A sneak peek through the curtains from a room looking into the courtyard. David Griffen Photography. 

New look but familiar vibe for Hobart pub icon

It is one of Hobart's favourite drinking establishments with a history dating back to 1858. 

Closed since April, the Telegraph Hotel will be getting a new lease on life with works to restore the heritage venue underway under new ownership. 

Australian Venue Co, which is a food and beverage-led hospitality group that operates pubs, bars and event venues around Australia, as taken over the business: it's first Tasmanian venture. 

The venue team will be hired and trained locally before the hotel reopens towards the end of the year. 

The Telegraph has a prime location near the Hobart waterfront. 

The renovation will aim to celebrate the history of the heritage hotel, creating a pub with appeal to both locals and visitors. 

The previously underutilised second floor will be converted into a dining space with a pub dining menu. The downstairs area will remain a public bar with a refreshed look and feel.

Paul Waterson, the Australian Venue Co CEO, said the acquisition of the Telegraph was an exciting venue to add to the group’s growing portfolio.

 “The Telegraph Hotel is the first AVC investment in the Tasmanian market and we are excited to bring an iconic Hobart venue into the fold." he said. "With over 160 venues across Australia and New Zealand, it was high time that we invested in a Tasmanian pub.

 

“We’re passionate about bringing beautiful old pubs back to life and continuing their legacy in the local community. We’ve got a great track record for investing significantly in our pubs, updating them for the modern customer while preserving their heritage. The pub will undergo some renovations to refresh the venue before we open doors later this year."

See www.ausvenueco.com.au